Safety spout-closure.



W. J. CLARKE.

SAFETY SPOUT CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1911.

1,052,710. Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

/WITNESSES v I INVER IIMTED snares earner price.

WALTER J. CLARKE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- IMIENTS, TO THE GASOLINE' SAFETY APPLIANCE. COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO,

CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA, (INCORPORATED IN 1912.)

SAFETY SPOUT-CLOSURE.

Application filed June 8, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'WALTER J. CLARKE, citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Spout-Closures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to containers for gasolene and the like, and pertains to a simple, cheap, practical closure for cans adapted to contain a few quarts of liquid, such as are usually lifted and poured from by hand.

The object of the present invention is to provide a safety can which will not open in case the can is upset, and yet can be easily and fully opened by the operator, either for the purpose of filling the can or pouring from it,

The invention consists of the parts, and the combination and construction of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation and partial section of the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to the view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the closure.

A represents a can, 2 the spout suitably secured to the can, and 3 the spout cover or valve which is pivoted at 4 on a lug on the spout. This spout cover or valve is preferably of annular shape with a central opening closed by a metal disk 5, held in place by fusible solder, and adapted to re lease any internal pressure developed in case the container was surrounded by fire.

The underside of the valve around the mouth of the spout has a dove-tailed annular groove to receive a packing 6, whereby a tight seal is formed over the mouth of the spout when the valve or cover is closed. The cover is normally maintained closed over the spout by a stiff spring 7.

8- is an operating lever or trigger which is -integral with the cover and extends from the pivot side 4 of the cover alongside of the spout and projects a short distance beyond the spout'on the side opposite pivot 4:, so that in order to lift the cover a pressure by the finger on the underside of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. it, 1913.

Serial No. 632,017.

trigger 8 applied at thepoint indicated by the arrow, is necessary. The distance that the lever 8 extends on the side of the spout opposite fulcrum 4: depends on the diameter and shape of the can, length of spout, etc.; but this lever 8 should not extend to such an extent that it could hit the floor and thereby open the cover, if the can is upset.

The'upward movement of the trigger 8 is limited by the contact of the back portion 11 of the cover with the bottom of the spout neck. This stop 11 and the extended portion of the cover forms a housing for the spring. If desired, the container may be provided with a safety tubular screen 12.

The characteristic feature of this invention is that any blow from the topon either the cover or the trigger acts to close thecover more tightly down on the spout; the cover being only lifted by an upward lift on the trigger. In fact this closure may be considered in the nature of a bell crank with one arm of the bell crank carrying the valve member and the other arm of the bell crank being below the valve member and having the functions and properties of the trigger, as described.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- A safety can having a tubular spout and a spring actuated cover hinged to one side thereof below the top of the spout and normally closed over' this spout, said cover having a trigger member extending from the hinge of the pivot downwardly and toward the other side of the spout and in the same direction as the cover, the projecting portion of the trigger being ofl'set so as to extend alongside of the spout and adapted to open the cover by the application of pressure on the underside of the offset port-ion of the trigger,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER J. CLARKE. Witnesses F. W. BECKER, CHARms EDELMAN. 

